ABSTRACT
British Guiana is sometimes referred to as 'The Land of Six Peoples'. The population of a little over half a million is uniformly Englishspeaking (with the exception of some of the more isolated Amerindians), attends the same sort of schools, participates in a common economic and political system, and shares many fundamental values, but the population is differentiated into 'ethnic groups'.1 These groups are designated as East Indian (279,460), African descent (190,380), Chinese (3,550), Portuguese (7,610), Other European (5,230), Amerindian (22,860) and Mixed (66,180), and are popularly supposed to possess distinguishable social and personality traits as well as phenotypical characteristics.2 The attribution of such characteristics is often no more than the application of stereotypes which help to perpetuate the basic differentiations. Although attempts are made to eliminate such stereotypes this is difficult to achieve and as British Guiana has moved closer to political independence a struggle for power has developed among previously dominated groups. The conflicts are often between class or economic interest groups but tensions of a severe kind exist between the two major ethnic groups, Negroes and East Indians, and contribute to the political deadlock which has delayed the granting of independence. There are clear differences between members of the two groups in some elements of custom, in religion, in family structure, marriage ceremonies and so
on but these have rarely formed the basis of conflict or even verbal hostility.1 It is in patterns of economic activity that the basis of future conflict is supposed to lie, and even relative voting power is seen as a means to economic domination.
